Felt conditioning device for papermaking machines



Jan. 19, 1943. Q F. WQVICKERY 2,308,574

FELT commomue DEVICE FOR PAPER MAKING MACHINES Filed July 16, 19,37 4 Sheet-Sheet 1 VAR/ABLE GEAR /W N'TM I s 0R,

Jan. 19, 943?.

F. w. VICKERY 2,308,574 FELT CONDITIONING DEVICE FOR PAPER MAKING MACHIN ES me July 16, 1937 4. Sheets-Sheet 2 i Q n 437 N 7 46 38 3%936 4/4; i 23 Jan; 19; 1943, F. w. VICKERY 2,303,574

FELT CONDITIONING DEVICE FOR PAPER MAKING MACHINES Filed July 16, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet r Jan. 19, 1943. F. w. VICKERY FELT CONDITIONING DEVICE FOR PAPER MAKING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 "'ilepl July 16. 1937 I /NVNTOR A TI'ORNE'Y Patented Jan. 19, 1943 FELT CONDITIONING DEVICE FOR PAPER- MAKING MACHINES Frederick William Vickery, London, England, as-

signor to Vickery Incorporated, Boston, Mass.

Application July 16, 1937, Serial No. 154,005 In Great Britain July 23, 1936 6 Claims.

This invention relates to felt conditioners in which a conditioner unit applies a conditioning and cleaning fluid to a small portion of the working width of a paper-making or like felt at a time and removes it, all parts of the Working width being conditioned in succession by causing the conditioner unit to traverse the felt.

Not only does the felt conditioner clean the felt by removing with the cleaning fluid dirt adhering to the felt, but also the fluid penetrating into the felt and then returning loosens the fibres of the felt which have been crushed together in the working of the felt and so to a large extent restores the felt to its original condition of surface and porosity. It would be undesirable to make suddenly a large change in the condition of a narrow strip of the felt for that would result in markings or appreciable differences in the paper made on the felt. The conditioning operation must therefore be repeated at intervals so short that the condition of the felt is not appreciably impaired between one operation and the next; in other Words the tolerance allowed in the condition of the felt or in the quality of the paper produced upon it determines the frequency of the conditioning operation.

With the usual continuously working reciprocating conditioner unit, conditioning operations are not performed at equal intervals of time except at the middle of the travel of the conditioner unit. The object of the present invention is to space the conditioning operations evenly in order that the maximum tolerable time spacing of them may be obtained with a minimum frequency of conditioning, minimum wear on the felt and minimum expenditure of pumping power and water or other conditioning fluid.

To this end the operation of the conditioner unit upon the felt is substantially confined to its traverse in one direction across the felt. The operation of the conditioner unit, that is to say the delivery of conditioning fluid upon the felt and preferably also the suction upon the felt, may be suspended during the return movement of the unit, or the return may be made at high speed. The conditioner unit may travel continuously in an endless path to and fro across the felt, the plane of the path lying either in the plane of the felt or at a small inclination to it, or lying at right angles to it; and the conditioner may then comprise several conditioner unitstraversing the same path. Or the unit may reverse its direction of motion and travel to and fro along the same path as in existing conditioners; in the former case the conditioner must, and in the latter case it preferably should, include means of controlling the conditioning fluid, so that each unit delivers conditioning fluid upon the felt only during the working traverse of the unit. It is desirable also that the conditioner should include means of controlling the suction so that at each unit the felt is not exposed to suction and subjected to the consequent frictional dnag during the idle traverse of the unit; but this is not essential where the conditioner unit is of the rotating drum type, with a felt-contacting surface moving at a peripheral speed equal to the speed of the felt. Such fluid and suction control means may be actuated by the conditioner unit at or near the ends of its working traverse, and a reciprocating unit may also actuate a change of gear in its driving connection so that its return is made at high speed; or a distributing mechanism driven with the conditioner unit may disconnect the suction and interrupt the supply of conditioning fluid at the requisite times.

Examples of conditioners embodying the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation,

Figure 2 a plan, 7

Figure 3 is a detail section on line IIIIII of Figure 1, but showing a slight modification.

Figure 4 a part elevation from the opposite side from Figure 1 with certain details in section, and

Figure 5 a valve actuating device for a conditioner having one reciprocating conditioner unit, which at the ends of its Working stroke operates fluid and suction control valves and also changes the gear ratio of its drive;

Figures 6 and 7 are diagrammatic elevations at right angles, the former in section, of alternative means of controlling the conditioning fluid;

Figures 8 and 9 are diagrammatic sectional elevations at right angles showing a third means of controlling the conditioning fluid;

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic elevation of a conditioner having two conditioner units travelling in an endless path;

Figure 11 is a detail section on line XI-XI of Figure 12 showing a conditioner having three conditioner units traveling in an endless path and a distributor controlling the suction and the supply of the conditioning fluid.

Figure 12 is "a central vertical section of the structure of Figure 11.

The conditioner of Figures 1 to 3 has a conditioner unit I mounted upon a carriage 2 which forms a saddle sliding along the angle bar 3 which extends across the paper making machine, resting on supports 4 at the sides of the machine. Beneath the angle bar is a threaded shaft carried in bearings in the supports 4. Beneath this shaft the carriage 2 supports a half-nut 6 in engagement with the thread of the shaft, and therefore rotation of the shaft causes the carriage to reciprocate. The drawings show only a single conditioner unit; it is a matter of convenience whether a single unit reciprocates over the whole of the felt, or several units reciprocate each over a fraction of the width corresponding with their number.

For the purpose of the invention the shaft 5 instead of being driven by a simple reverse gear as in known conditioners is driven by a reverse and change speed gear, so that it moves at a relatively low speed during its working stroke but returns at a high speed. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 a driving shaft I, itself driven by suitable means 8 from the paper-making machine, drives the shaft 5 either directly through the dog clutch 9, or indirectly at an increased speed through the gearing I9, II, the dog clutch I2, and the gearing I 3, I4. A variable speed gear means I5 of any convenient type, interposed between the gearing I9, I I and the dog clutch I2, forms a convenient means of adjusting the frequency of the conditioning operation by varying the time taken by the idle retLun stroke, but may be dispensed with if such variation is not desired.

The reciprocating conditioner unit changes the ratio of its driving gear, as well as bringing about as heretofore the reversal of its direction of travel, by the following means. A rod I6 slidably mounted in the supports 4 carries adjustable abutments I7, and is more or less encircled by an eye or claw I8 upon the carriage 2. At its end the rod I6 is linked to a bell-crank lever I9 turning on a pin 20 carried in the machine frame; and this lever is pressed into one or other of two extreme positions by a spring 2| connecting its free end to a bracket on the support 4. On the same pin 26 is pivoted a lever 22 with forked ends one of which engages and operates the clutch 9 and the other engages and operates the clutch I2. Upon one arm of the lever I9 is a double lateral extension 43 one end or the other of which presses upon the lever 22 according as I9 is pressed into one or other of its extreme positions.

If it-is desired to suspend the suction and fluid delivery during the high speed return stroke the same rod I6, or another rod similarly mounted and actuated, is employed to control them. In the fixed part of the pipe 23 by which the conditioning fluid is conveyed to the conditioner unit I is a spring-closed valve 24. In the pipe 25 connecting the conditioner unit with the suction pump is a spring-closed valve 26 which opens to the atmosphere. Brackets 2! upon the supports 4 carry a shaft 23 on which are revolubly mounted two star wheels 29 and 30. Each star wheel has secured to it a cam, 3| and 32 respectively, having half as many evenly spaced protuberances as the star wheel has arms. The cam 3| is located above and adapted to engage the stem of valve 24, and cam 32 is above and engages the stem of valve 26. Upon the carriage 2, for instance projecting from the eye or claw I8 is an arm 33 carrying two pawls 35 and 36 in position to engage the respective star wheels 29 and 30; it will be noticed that pawl 36 is in advance of pawl 35 at its operative end. Upon one of the abutments I! on the rod I6 is an arm 31 carrying pawls 38 and 39 also in position to engage respectively and in succession the star wheels 29 and 30. At the end of the pipe 23 next the conditioner I is a valve 40, shown as a ball valve, which closes under the pressure of the conditioning fluid.

Figure 5 shows for one pawl how the pawls are kept up to their work when turning the star Wheel and lifted clear of the star wheel on returning. Secured upon the brackets 21 are arms 42 carrying a guide 46 for each pawl. The guide is bevelled at one end and has a hinged nose 44 at the other, and lies in the path of a pin 45 upon the pawl. In the operative stroke of the pawl its pin 45 passes beneath the guide 46 and prevents the pawl riding up over the tooth of the star wheel instead of pushing it round. It is not obstructed by the nose 44 which it lifts out of the way. On the return stroke the pin rides up the nose 44 and along the top of the guide, so that the pawl clears the star wheel. These parts are omitted from Figures 1 to 4 in order that the pawls and star wheels may be more clearly seen.

The action of this conditioner is as follows:

When the clutch 9 is engaged the conditioner unit I with its upper surface in contact with the working surface of the felt 69 travels towards the right in Figure 1 at a low speed appropriate for conditioning, for instance it may take half an hour to traverse the width of the felt. The valve 24 is open and water or other cleaning fluid supplied through pipe 23 is delivered upon the surface of the felt by a nozzle forming part of the conditioner unit I, the pressure of the fluid keeping the valve 40 closed. The valve 26 is closed and therefore suction is applied to the felt through another nozzle forming part of the conditioner unit I. These nozzles are not shown since suitable constructions of conditioner unit are already known. When the eye I8 engages the abutment I! the rod I6 is shifted lengthwise to the right. It turns bell-crank lever I9 until the spring 2| passes the end of pin 20. The spring 2| then throws over the bell-crank lever to its extreme position and thrusts the rod I6 a little further to the right in so doing.

The lower end of the part 43 of lever I9 abuts on the lower arm of lever 22 and throws it over, thereby disengaging clutch 9 and engaging clutch I2. The shaft 5 therefore reverses its direction of rotation and moreover is now driven at a. higher speed through the gearing II], II, I3, I4. The movement of the rod I6 to the right has a further effect for the pawl 38 carried by the arm 3'! turns its star wheel 29 one tooth space. As a result of this the protuberance of cam 3I which is holding open the valve 24 is moved from engagement with the stem of the valve, and the valve is closed by its spring and the supply of conditioning fluid is cut off. The nozzle is not left full of fluid for the valve 40 opens and drains it. Immediately after the closing of valve 24 the shorter pawl 39 turns its star wheel 30 one tooth space and a protuberance of cam 32 opens the valve 26 thereby relieving the suction of the conditioner unit upon the felt. The high speed return stroke of the unit is therefore an idle stroke.

When the unit encounters the left hand abutment II in Figure 1 the rod I6 is shifted to the left, pawls 38 and 39 pass idly over their respective star wheels, the clutch I2 is disengaged and the clutch 9 engaged; the unit then once more reverses its motion and moves slowly to the right. At the beginning of the movement pawls 36 and 35, which also have idly passed their respective star wheels at the end of the idle stroke, now in succession turn those wheels one tooth space, thereby bringing about first the closing of valve 25 and then the opening of valve 24.

Though the cutting. off of the suction greatly lessens the friction between the conditioner unit and the felt, it may be desired to eliminate even rubbing contact. For this purpose the unit I may be mounted with slight lost motion on a slanting surface 4| of the carriage 2 as shown in Figure 3 the slope is in the line of travel of the felt so that with the high side pointing in the direction of felt travel, this motion of the felt holds the unit at its upper limit of travel as long as the suction is on, this suction holding the felt to the unit. In Figure 1 the slope is shown transverse to the line of travel of the felt and with its low side pointing in the direction of travel of the unit so that the traverse of the unit with suction on holds the unit in its upper position. Thus during the working stroke the unit rides up the slope into close cont-act with the felt, and during the return stroke, the suction being off, it slides down the slope out of contact with the felt.

With such a conditioning medium as water it is not essential that it should be turned off during the idle stroke; its delivery upon the felt may be prevented by other means. Figures 6 and 7 show the water jet within the conditioner unit I, and a pivoted shield 52 beside it which can be swung over to the position indicated in dotted lines where it is interposed between the jet and the felt. The shield is turned at the ends of the stroke by bevel wheels 53, 54 the latter being on the shaft of a star wheel 55 which is turned by fingers 56 upon the rod IS, the fingers yielding to pass the wheel upon their return.

In Figures 8 and 9 the jet 51 is itself made rotatable, being mounted in a bearing 58 in the unit I and carrying the bevel wheel 53 which may be operated as above explained. Such rotation of the jet in the conditioner unit may also be utilised for controlling the water supply by bringing a port 59 in the journal portion of the jet into and out of register with a port 60 in the unit I.

The need for a reversing gear may be obviated by making the conditioner unit travel in an endless path. The plane of its path may be parallel to the plane of the felt, the unit either remaining constantly in contact with the felt or being caused to drop away from it on the idle stroke by mounting the unit, as explained with reference to Figures 1 to 4, upon a slanting bed on its carriage. It is preferable that the conditioner unit should contact with the felt only during its working traverse that is to say should leave it not only during the parallel return traverse but also while it is passing along the curved parts of its path which join the straight parallel working and idle traverses. This is achieved by inclining the plane of the path to the plane of the felt. The inclination may be small, or the plane of the path may be at right angles to the felt as shown in Figures 10 to 12. Figure 10 shows endless chains Bl passing over sprockets 62, one pair of which is driven, by means not shown, from the paper-making machine; and these chains carry two conditioner units I spaced to divide the chains into equal lengths. While one of these is making its working traverse in contact with the felt 69, the other is returning idly out of contact with the felt.

With only two conditioner units there will be a short interval during which conditioning ceases.

A greater number of units may be used. Figures 11 and 12 show three, spaced evenly along the chains 6|. The flexible pipes 23 and 25 for conditioning fluid and suction respectively areled from the conditioner unit to nipples upon a rotating plate 63, which is driven by any suitable means 64 so as to make one revolution for each complete cycle of movement of the conditioner units. The plate 63 rotates in contact with the machined face of a block 65 in which are arcuate channels '56 extending over approximately one third of a circle, connected respectively to a water pump and a suction pump by pipes 61. The ports in the plate 53 are preferably narrow circumferentially and wide radially, as indicated at 68 in Figure 11, which shows the block in section on the line XI-XI of Figure 12, in order that connection to and disconnection from the suction pump and water pump may be completed quickly.

I claim: 1

1. A conditioner for the felts of paper-making machines including a conditioner unit comprising means for applying a conditioning fluid to a narrow width of the felt and withdrawing it by suction therefrom, a traversing mechanism for reciprocating said unit across the felt, a driving shaft, a change speed and reversing gear means in driven relation to said driving shaft and in driving relation to said traversing mechanism for driving said traversing mechanism from said driving shaft at different speeds in opposite directions, and means operatively connected to said traversing mechanism and to said gear means to actuate. said gear means after-a predetermined extent of travel of said conditioning unit in one direction to reverse the direction of travel of said unit and cause said unit to move in such reverse direction at a different speed from its motion prior to such reversal.

2. A conditioner for the felts of paper-making machines including a conditioner unit comprising means for applying a conditioning fluid to a narrow width of the felt and withdrawing it by suction therefrom, a traversing mechanism for reciprocating said unit across the felt, a driving shaft, reverse and change speed gear means in driven relation to said drive shaft and in driving relation to said traversing mechanism, and means operatively connected to and operated by said unit and traversing mechanism at the end of travel of said unit in each direction and connected to said gear means to actuate said gear means to reverse the direction and change the speed of travel of said unit as driven by said traversing means.

3. Apparatus for reconditioning the felt of a paper-making machine, comprising a carriage with a slanting bed, a conditioner unit resting on said bed, means limiting the motion of said conditioner along said bed in the direction of slant, said unit comprising means for applying a conditioning fluid to a narrow width of the felt and for withdrawing it by suction applied to the same width, means for traversing said carriage to and fro across the felt so long as the paper-making machine is running, and means for rendering said conditioner unit inoperative upon the felt when moving in one direction and permitting said unit to slide away from the felt to the lower limit of its motion relative to said bed, the direction of slope being such that the suction while said conditioner unit is operative acts to hold said unit above said lower limit into close relation to said felt.

4. Apparatus for reconditioning the felt of a paper-making machine, comprising a carriage with a slanting bed, a conditioner unit resting on said bed, means limiting the motion of said conditioner unit along said bed in the direction of slant, said unit comprising means for applying a conditioning fluid to a narrow width of the felt and for withdrawing it by suction applied to the same width, means for traversing said carriage to and fro across the felt transverse to the direction of slant of said bed so long as the papermaking machine is running, and means for rendering said conditioner unit inoperative upon the felt when moving in one direction and permitting said unit to slide away from the felt to the lower limit of its motion relative to said bed.

5. A conditioner for the felts of paper-making machines including a conditioner unit comprising means for applying a conditioning fluid to a narrow width of the felt and withdrawing it by suction therefrom, a traversing mechanism for reciprocating said unit across the felt, a driving shaft, a change speed and reversing gear means in driven relation to said driving shaft and in driving relation to said traversing mechanism for driving said traversing mechanism from said driving shaft at different speeds in opposite directions, means operatively connected to said traversing mechanism and to said gear means to actuate said gear means after a predetermined extent of travel of said conditioning unit in one direction to reverse the direction of travel of said unit and cause said unit to move in said reverse direction at a different speed from its motion prior to such reversal, and means operatively connected to said unit and said controlling means for actuating said controlling means to cause said unit to apply the fluid to and withdraw the fluid from the felt while said unit is traversing the felt in one direction and to cause said unit to be ineffective to apply and withdraw the fluid while said unit is traversing the felt in the opposite direction.

6. A conditioner for the felts of paper-making machines including a conditioner unit comprising means for applying a conditioning fluid to a narrow width of the felt and withdrawing it by suction therefrom, a traversing mechanism for reciprocating said unit across the felt, a driving shaft, reverse and change speed gear means in driven relation to said drive shaft and in driving relation to said traversing mechanism, means operatively connected to and operated by said unit and traversing mechanism at the end of travel of said unit in each direction and connected to said gear means to actuate said gear means to reverse the direction and change the speed of travel of said unit as driven by said traversing means, means for controlling the supply of fluid through said unit and the suction to said unit, and means operatively connected to said unit and said controlling means for actuating said controlling means to cause said unit to apply the fluid to and withdraw the fluid from the felt while said unit is traversing the felt in one direction and to cause said unit to be ineffective to apply and withdraw the fluid while said unit is traversing the felt in the opposite direction.

FREDERICK WILLIAM VICKERY. 

